The Democratic governor of Massachusetts expressed her support for arresting criminal undocumented immigrants, emphasizing the importance of โthe apprehension of criminals in our communities.โ
Gov. Maura Healey told reporters on Thursday that she supports the arrest of criminals, regardless of their immigration status, according to local news outlet WCVB.
Fox News observed ICE Boston agents making eight arrests this week, including multiple MS-13 members, individuals with Interpol Red Notices, suspects wanted for murder and rape, and a violent Haitian gang member with 18 prior convictions. During the arrest, the gang member shouted, โI ainโt going back to Haiti!โ and โFโ Trump, Biden forever!โ
The arrests follow the Trump administrationโs swift action to fulfill its promise of launching a historic mass deportation operation, which it has stated will primarilyโbut not exclusivelyโtarget individuals posing public safety threats.
Addressing the arrests, Healey said she โwouldnโt describe them as raids,โ but instead, โwhat it seems to be, and what we expected and what I support, which is the apprehension of criminals in our communities.โ
โWhether youโre documented or undocumented, you commit crimes, youโre subject to investigation and prosecution and accountability, and it looks like that is what happened,โ Healey said, according to Fox local outlet, Boston 25.
But her comments appear to signal a massive turnabout from her previous positions before Trump was sworn in.
Healey, who previously pledged to resist Trumpโs deportation efforts in November, emphasized that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state, despite a 2017 ruling by the state Supreme Judicial Court that significantly restricts law enforcement cooperation with ICE.
In November, Healey stated that state police would โabsolutely notโ cooperate with Trumpโs mass deportation operations, vowing to use โevery tool in the toolboxโ to โprotectโ residents in the heavily Democratic state.
โI still remain opposed on efforts to target large swaths of an undocumented population whoโve done nothing wrong other than theyโre here without lawful presence,โ she said.
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